A. General Strategies

• take advantage of strengths (visual learner)
• learn and use their interests
• provide scaffold to facilitate success
• use visual cues
• reduce demands on auditory system
• develop routines, schedules, predictable patterns
• facilitate language comprehension
• expand expressive language skills
• model and teach social interaction/language skills
• be sensitive to their weaknesses
• avoid overloading
• be flexible

B. The Early Picture

1. Patterns of Development
   • delay in language development
   • not responsive to speech from others
   • poor comprehension - including their own speech
   • memorizes songs, videos, commercials, familiar phrases
   • echolalic
   • loner
   • limited repertoire of interests
   • videos
   • trouble with change, transitions; seek order in their world
   • interest in logos, letters, numbers
   • short attention span for new/difficult activities; sustained attention for preferred
2. Intervention Strategies
   • start where child is at (developmentally, interests), expand from there
   • written labels
   • break it down to the word level, then expand it
   • same label for similar, but different, objects
   • be concrete when speaking
   • avoid over-talking
   • give time to process-PAUSES
   • use same phrases/sentences until they are comprehended; then make changes
   • start using visual organizers (e.g. lists, calendars,reminders, rules)
   • state rules in positive terms
   • develop routines, schedules, predictable patterns
   • turn taking (non-verbal, rote verbal, verbal)
   • hands on learning experiences; add verbal as the experience becomes familiar
   • teach categorization skills
   • videotapes
   • photos of classmates with names written

C. As Language Develops

1. Patterns of Development
   • continue to have problems processing auditory information that is
     • novel
     • continuous
     • questioning
     • presented rapidly
     • in presence of other auditory information
     • low interest
     • abstract
   • using rote phrases in combination with words and other rote phrases
   • pronoun reversals
   • become engrossed with reading anything there is to read
   • strong willed,
   • "bossy"; if verbal may want to dominate "conversation"
   • trouble with changes in routine and environment; transitions difficult
   • more interested in peers but trouble interacting with them
2. Intervention Strategies
   • use written cues!
     • yes/no
     • lists, calendars, schedules, rules
     • conversation starters
     • story webs, math cards
     • social stories
   • reduce demands on the auditory system
     • multi-sensory learning
     • short, simple, concrete verbal information
     • pair written information with auditory
   • give listening breaks
     • preferential seating in the classroom
     • give choices when asking questions
     • be sensitive to auditory stimulation and overload
   • facilitate language comprehension
     • descriptions
     • language associations and organization
     • teach yes/no questions
     • teach "wh" questions (concrete to abstract)
     • break "wh" questions into "what" questions (who = what person, where = what place, when = what time, etc)
     • relational language concepts (pronouns, comparatives, spatial)
     • concept of negation
     • multiple meanings
   • expand expressive language skills
     • provide verbal and written models which are syntactically correct (gentle correction of written errors in grammar and spelling)
     • teach to describe-concrete objects to more abstract emotions, responses to situations, etc
     • prompt to ask questions (selection of "wh" word, word order)
     • model and teach talking through the steps of a process, solutions to problems; this is a way to introduce self talk and internal dialogue
     • work on sequencing of information, prediction, alternative actions, if-then
     • conversation card
     • intonation and inflection
   • assist social interaction development
     • videotapes
     • trends of peers
     • direct training (modeling, role playing) of student (and peers?)
     • board games
     • taking perspective of others
     • task analysis of different kinds of conversations-write down routine and rules for each; practice these

1. Common Persistent Patterns
   • more complex auditory information
   • using slang, peer language
   • jokes, riddles, idioms
   • restricted interests
   • social isolation
   • intonation/inflection
2. Intervention Strategies
   • multiple meanings of words
   • jokes, riddles, puns
   • problem solving strategies
   • intonation and inflection
   • plays, role playing,
   • find outlets for their interests